Almond Cloud Cookies

This is a recipe for one of King Arthur Flour's best-selling cookies. They are chewy-crisp cookie with an intense almond flavor.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 21
• Yields: 21 cookies

Ingredients

• 10  ounces almond paste
• 1  cup sugar
• 2  large  egg whites, lightly beaten
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  almond extract
• 1⁄8 teaspoon  extra-strong  bitter almond oil or 1⁄8 teaspoon  lemon oil (optional) or 1⁄8 teaspoon  orange oil (optional)
•  confectioners' sugar or   glazing sugar, for topping

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F.
2. Lightly grease (or line with parchment) two baking sheets.
3. Blend the almond paste and sugar until the mixture forms fine crumbs; this is best done in a stand mixer.
4. Add the egg whites gradually, while mixing, to make a smooth paste.
5. Stir in the flavorings.
6. Scoop the dough by heaping tablespoons onto the prepared pans.
7. Sprinkle the cookies heavily with confectioners' sugar, then use three fingers to press an indentation into the center of each cookie.
8. Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, until they're brown around the edges. Remove them from the oven, and let them cool right on the pan.